Judge Orders Liens Against Westboro Baptist Church, Two Church Members

A federal judge has issued liens against a fundamentalist Kansas church and ordered two of its members to post cash bonds while they appeal a $5 million judgment resulting from the church's protest at a military funeral.The Westboro Baptist Church has filed a motion seeking to stay last November's verdict, in which a jury found that the Topeka, Kan.-based church intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon Albert Snyder of York, Pa. Snyder's son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder was killed in Iraq in March 2006. The church frequently pickets military funerals, arguing that the deaths of U.S. troops overseas are part of God's punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. Six members of the church showed up in Bradford for the memorial service for Master Sergeant Thomas Maholic, who died in Afghanistan. Their efforts to protest were stymied by members of the community and the Patriot Guard Riders.